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Lens #1-5
Lens #1-5, The Designate, The Volunteer, The Terrorist, The Champion, and The Guardian
A complete dystopian book series!
A desperate young woman. A sadistic caste system. Escape will be her only salvation.
Brooklyn, 2095. Seventeen-year-old Riley Taylor longs to escape the crushing poverty of the slums. Stuck with her best friend, Alex, in a totalitarian police state, their only hope of survival is joining the United States Service.
But when Riley gets ripped away from him in their first brutal combat, she’s shocked to discover why so many recruits come home in coffins.
Stuck in a post apocalyptic world thrown into chaos by a dark government empire, it’s a race against time for Riley to survive the country’s plans and save what’s left of humanity.
Lens is a complete, 5-book series consisting of The Designate, The Volunteer, The Terrorist, The Champion, and The Guardian.
A desperate young woman. A sadistic caste system. Escape will be her only salvation.
Brooklyn, 2095. Seventeen-year-old Riley Taylor longs to escape the crushing poverty of the slums. Stuck with her best friend, Alex, in a totalitarian police state, their only hope of survival is joining the United States Service.
But when Riley gets ripped away from him in their first brutal combat, she’s shocked to discover why so many recruits come home in coffins.
Stuck in a post apocalyptic world thrown into chaos by a dark government empire, it’s a race against time for Riley to survive the country’s plans and save what’s left of humanity.
Lens is a complete, 5-book series consisting of The Designate, The Volunteer, The Terrorist, The Champion, and The Guardian.
2344 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 6, 2022
301 people are currently reading
85 people want to read
About the author
J.B. Cantwell
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 10, 2024
Could not finish!
This series could have been an amazing story but it got lost in the middle.
The author could have used a content editor! There were more discrepancies than I could count from one book to the next.
The stratifying did not make sense. There were some action parts that were good but nothing that seemed like it made sense.
Too much time spent talking about things that didn’t matter. The mental and health issues brought up were a distraction no one wants to hear about that when they are reading for entertainment.
This series could have been an amazing story but it got lost in the middle.
The author could have used a content editor! There were more discrepancies than I could count from one book to the next.
The stratifying did not make sense. There were some action parts that were good but nothing that seemed like it made sense.
Too much time spent talking about things that didn’t matter. The mental and health issues brought up were a distraction no one wants to hear about that when they are reading for entertainment.
March 16, 2023
compelling read
I read this whole series for near on two weeks. I couldn't stop reading about Riley and Alex. So many twists and turns and many wonderful characters. I still wondered why Chambers never phased the injuries. What happened with the service. I feel like they were never really taken down. The bad guy was never really discovered. So many dear characters lost. This was my first book by this author and so enjoyed its futuristic lean.
I read this whole series for near on two weeks. I couldn't stop reading about Riley and Alex. So many twists and turns and many wonderful characters. I still wondered why Chambers never phased the injuries. What happened with the service. I feel like they were never really taken down. The bad guy was never really discovered. So many dear characters lost. This was my first book by this author and so enjoyed its futuristic lean.
July 10, 2023
A different spin on dystopia
Cantwell did a wonderful job of creating a future that is in line with the advancement of technology as well as the uncertainty of government control. This story is well written, exciting and easy to become friends with the characters. I love dystopian fiction and this book did not disappoint!
Cantwell did a wonderful job of creating a future that is in line with the advancement of technology as well as the uncertainty of government control. This story is well written, exciting and easy to become friends with the characters. I love dystopian fiction and this book did not disappoint!
December 9, 2023
omg
This was definitely not what I would considered my normal genre of reading. I read a little excerpt from the book on Facebook and thought it seemed interesting, so I gave it a shot. I am so glad I did! The whole box set was full of action and twists and turns that kept it interesting the whole read through. Would definitely recommend these books
This was definitely not what I would considered my normal genre of reading. I read a little excerpt from the book on Facebook and thought it seemed interesting, so I gave it a shot. I am so glad I did! The whole box set was full of action and twists and turns that kept it interesting the whole read through. Would definitely recommend these books
July 30, 2024
I somewhat enjoyed the first couple books in the series. When it got to the middle (the mental illness part) it got so tedious, and that carried through until the end. And some things that happened during the latter part didn’t make sense. I struggled to get through the series, and I was so happy to see the end.
January 19, 2024
An epic
This series of books is long but exciting. The characters are interesting, not perfect, but human. Some may be put off by the length but it's all worth it. Would may a great tv series
This series of books is long but exciting. The characters are interesting, not perfect, but human. Some may be put off by the length but it's all worth it. Would may a great tv series
December 23, 2022
Loved reading this book
Even Been dreaming
About it. Would recommend
It to all. Could note put it down
Was dragged into the storyline.
Even Been dreaming
About it. Would recommend
It to all. Could note put it down
Was dragged into the storyline.
December 4, 2023
Really just like any other post-apocalyptic book I have ever read. I lost interest after the first book because I didn't find any of the characters or tales compellng.
April 11, 2024
Editing
Very good story. But the last book was poorly edited. Also, I felt that many story lines throughout the series went unresolved.
Very good story. But the last book was poorly edited. Also, I felt that many story lines throughout the series went unresolved.
July 28, 2024
good
I read this series really fast. I didn't see the plot twists coming most of the time and loved the main characters!!
I read this series really fast. I didn't see the plot twists coming most of the time and loved the main characters!!
June 9, 2025
My favorite series!
September 1, 2024
I am writing this review because I am finding it very hard to finish this series. It is a very dystopian, military type of young adult series. I keep waiting for it to pick up speed and be interesting. It has interesting topics which have been introduced, but I am still so bored. I have way too many books on my TBR pile to keep reading something which holds so little interest. I am one chapter from the end of the Designate. Perhaps in a bit I can finish. I haven't quite finished the first book. I am one chapter from the end.
I will say I could possible just be in a different mood than military distopianism right now and when I come back I will really enjoy this series.
UPDATE: I finished finally. I will say that I found the topic and storyline interesting, but the way the books were written bored me. This is not a page turner.
And it is a very long series. I kept waiting for it to end, and it just felt like it never would.
I will say I could possible just be in a different mood than military distopianism right now and when I come back I will really enjoy this series.
UPDATE: I finished finally. I will say that I found the topic and storyline interesting, but the way the books were written bored me. This is not a page turner.
And it is a very long series. I kept waiting for it to end, and it just felt like it never would.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews